Japan’s transport ministry says the country’s public pilot training college will introduce a special entrance quota for female applicants in fiscal 2027. This comes amid a pilot shortage and the low proportion of female pilots.
Civil Aviation College is the sole public pilot training institution in Japan, and its graduates account for roughly 40 percent of all pilots working for domestic airlines.
The transport ministry says in the new system about 20 out of the quota of roughly 100 students will be allocated to women. The number of private rooms in the dormitories will be increased and shower rooms will be renovated.
The ministry also decided to eliminate the applicants’ minimum height requirement of 158 centimeters for entrance in 2026. No domestic airline company has such a requirement.
Ministry officials noted that the largest age group of pilots in Japan is in their 50s. Many of them will retire in the coming years. They also said women account for less than 2 percent of all pilots in Japan, a significantly low figure compared to the global average.
The officials said the ministry aims to increase the percentage of female pilots to 10 percent over the next 10 years.
To that end, it says it will boost efforts, including hosting seminars with the private sector, where female pilots from various airlines can share experiences on career development and childcare.